To Find Their Way
by PhoenixMageFire
Summary: The leader was just with in range when the effects of the attack began to take hold. Howling it swiped at her head, to miss her nose by a hair’s breadth. She didn't blink.
1. And It All Falls Down

Welcome friends to these exciting chronicles of Sailor Moon and Gundam Wing etc. ad nauseum. You all know the song and dance or you wouldn't be here.

Maybe you'll like this fic. If you do, review. If you hate it, flame me.

Disclaimer: Lady Star Healer and I do not own Gundam or Sailor Moon. (Sob) The characters Marle, Saira, Jacob, and the children do belong to us though. And you can't have them!

**Introduction **

In the deep mists of the Fourth Dimension, there is a door. This door leads to everywhere and to every time. It is known as the Time Gate and is guarded by the eldest daughter of the Royal house of Pluto.

Over this Universe's hundreds of millennia, different women guard this gate. Some are tall, some dark, some stronger than others, but all are bound by the same sacred oath to guard Time itself.

It is in this place that our story begins.

To Find Their Way 

           "Marle, you're only sending me to Earth because it's summer and you don't want to deal with the heat," Saira Kumo Yanai scowled. Marle Toki Kou looked at her sister and glared daggers.

"You know I'm not that irresponsible, and you know I have to guard the Time Line from the Kuroi (1)." 

"I'm from the planet of war and fire. I think I could handle myself quite well against them in your absence." She stuck her tongue out.

"If you go back to fighting the Kuroi, you're just putting that child in danger. Especially if you do so alone."

"That's not the reason," Saira said brushing a hand against her still flat stomach. "I haven't told Jacob yet. I just needed to find the right time and then the call came in from the conquered regions and well…"

"Well," said Marle, a glint in her eye. "If you do this for me, I can arrange it so that you both just happen to wind up at a little corner bistro in say, Paris."

Saira thought long and hard about it. On the one hand she could be nice and do this for free, while on the other, she could give into the bribe.

"I think I'll have to take door number two," the raven-haired senshi said. "I hope they have a veggie dish. Just thinking about a t-bone steak is making me nauseous. Stupid morning sickness," she grumbled under her breath. "It doesn't even have the decency to come in just the morning."

Marle chuckled. "Don't worry, Saira-chan. I'll make sure that, AHHH!" Dropping to her knees in pain, she gripped her head with her hands and gritted her teeth to keep the rest of the screams in.

"What is it? Marle," Saira cried out as well with pain, clutching her heart. "Marle! What do you see?"

Standing up weakly, the Time Staff materialized in chalk white hands. "Something is terribly wrong, the disturbance is getting worse." With a jerky wave of the Staff, a portal opened up and she stepped through.

Not one to be left behind, Saira jumped in before the black hole could close. There was some slight disorientation, but they were both used to it. They had been living in the Fourth Dimension for some time now, and Marle had learned how to go directly from one place, through the Time Gates, and to another with a single portal.

When the mist rolled away from their vision, the two women found themselves in space over looking the third planet from the star known as Sol.

"The Earth," Saira whispered. "It's been so long since I saw it last." Looking down at her companion she asked. "What year is it?" 

"They call it After Colony 196." Explained Marle. "To us it would be approximately A.D. 4652."

"So, about one thousand years after the invasion." The Phoenix started when she saw the moon. "Koneko must be rolling around in her grave."

"I agree," Mnemosyne (2) said scowling. "How could they scar it like that? Foolish children. I just hope it will be restored when the White Moon rises again."

They had been moving the entire time, and now they could see the cause of the temporal disturbance. A large construction was falling into Earth's atmosphere over one of the more populated areas.

"That space colony," Marle hissed, "Is what caused the disturbance. It was never supposed to get that close to the atmosphere." She looked at her sister with cold, unforgiving eyes. "This is why you needed to come Saira," she put her hand on her shoulder. "We need a good telekinetic to pull that sucker out of its deteriorating orbit. But," she cautioned. "We need the ones known as Gundam pilots to think they did it."   
  


* * * * *

"We're starting to burn up," Duo's voice called in distress. "We're not gonna make it if we stay here!"

"Then that's it," Heero deadpanned. "Mission failed." He started to get up, and froze at the click of a suppressed 9mm behind his head.

"Bitter words, little boy. Now sit back down, we aren't licked yet."

He dared to shift in his seat and caught a glimpse of dark hair pulled back in a French braid. It was as black as Death Scythe Hell, and spilled to an unknown length along her back as blue eyes smoldered beneath windswept bangs. She was dressed in a pair of nondescript blue jeans and a denim jacket decorated with stylized blue flames. 

"And just what do you think we can do?" She smirked and pulled out another gun to train on Duo and Trowa.

"This thing has directional thrusters right?" She waited for one of them to nod. She continued once they had. "Fire them all at once to skim along the atmosphere, bounce back into space and worry about regaining proper orbit after the fires go out."

"Why didn't I think of that?" the braided boy cried, half jesting. Her eyes didn't leave Heero's. He was the most dangerous one after all.

"Because I did. Now you only have one shot at this. Make it count."

With that she put away her pistols in holsters hidden beneath her jacket and stood in the center of the room, unarmed and starring into space.

Taking a deep breath, Saira reached inside herself to brush at the bright spot settled between her hips. _'Just hold on now, little one,"_ she soothed. _'This might get a bit bumpy.'_

Stretching out, she felt her mind pass out of her body and connected with the Cosmos's endless flow of energy and began to redirect it against the atmosphere of the blue green planet. The mental strain made her grimace as those around her took no notice.

With the passage of a small eternity, they began to put distance between the construction and atmosphere. _'Concentrate.'_ she whispered to herself. Soon there was enough momentum; she could relax a little. Saira realized she was sweating heavily. Maybe she should have used a little less energy. The amount of control needed was in direct proportion to the amount of élan drawn after all.

Out of long practice, she searched time and space for the steadying presence of her husband. He was distracted at first, fearful of…something, but the distance was too great for her to know exactly what. She let him lean into her, surrounded him with her energy, and felt a pinprick of shock. He knew about the baby, and she hadn't needed to say anything at all. But she was still hungry

And then, she was suddenly empty. Jacob's presence was gone.

_Jacob_ was gone.

She was hit by a sudden shock wave of agony and she screamed, catching the eye of the suddenly aware pilots. Another wave came, smaller, less distinctive, but she knew that soul as well. Yaten was in danger.

Saira felt half of herself ripped away by the pain and in compliance, the left side of her body crumpled. Her eyes were open and she could hear the florescent lights buzz in their sockets, but she couldn't see any light. Tears began to make their way down her face and she didn't have the strength to care. Kami, everything was so…_empty_.

Feh, what good was saving strangers, if she couldn't keep her other half alive? The physical and emotional strain caught up with her, and she slipped away into true darkness.

*** * * * ***

Marle bowed her head as she watched Saira and her brother-in-law through a window in Time. Another pain ripped through her and she screamed. Tears falling down her cheeks, she lifted her head upward and cried, glad for once that sound refused to carry in the Fourth Dimension

"NO!"

 Jumping to her feet, she conjured a portal and yelled, "Mnemosyne Crystal Power! MAKE UP!" as she fell through Time.

The blood red jewel resting on her collarbone pulsed light over her body. She closed her eyes and threw her head back as a column of hard vacuum rushed around her. In the silence ice grew across her body and was shattered by lightning bolts as her combat outfit formed. The airless bubble lifted and her tightly bound mahogany hair fell into the loser style worn by the Daughters of Chronos. Not only was it's style changed, her hair had become a mix of dark blue and darker green, a symbol of her heritage.

Her fuku wasn't really a fuku. It was instead modeled after a sleeveless training gi; dark blue, loose and flowing, with a slit up to each thigh that Yaten particularly liked.

A split second later, she landed as the fully transformed Sailor Mnemosyne on the plane where her children were, and blinked open her new red eyes to see Kuroi devouring four of her family.

As the Time Staff reappeared in her hands she powered up, aimed it at the two-dozen Kuroi monsters and called, "DEAD SCREAM (3)," putting the full force of her anger into the words. The deadly sphere of light slammed into the creatures, turning them to dust, and burning even that away.

Running to her children, Marle checked who remained, and was nearly choked by little arms trying to squeeze as close as possible. Waving her hand, a black hole opened and she firmly commanded, "Go through that and stay with your Grandfather. Don't wander, I'll be there soon." After planting a hasty kiss on each forehead, the children went through the portal, and their mother dared to turn around.

The first body she came across was Cassandra's, her eldest daughter. She would have been the one to inherit the task of safeguarding the Time Line. And she would have been perfect. Not a day went by that she was any less her Grandmothers reincarnation. But now, her role would have to wait for the next life. Her little body had been pulled apart and her limbs were scattered at four-foot intervals, gnawed upon. A long slash across her sternum was still spilling blood across the floor. Thankfully, her eyes were shut, but half of her pine colored hair was ripped out.

The next body was lying not too far from the first: Harmony, her second daughter. How ironic. At just four years old, the Heir of Mercury was, had been, a brilliant systems analyst and could have doubled for Queen Serenity of the Old Moon with her kind blue eyes and silver hair. She must have been the first one dead, the only part of her body left untouched was her head.

Galen, her third oldest, was only just dead. She brushed his unruly blue hair away from his face. He had an almost calm expression. His neck was snapped, and she was glad he had a quick death. But the scratches on his face, arms, and the blood under his nails told of how hard he must have fought. Her brave little Jovian.

Fighting back tears, Marle faced the last broken form drifting through the Hidden Plane. He was lying on his back not too far from where the children had been. A pool of his own silver blood was gathering around him. His emerald eyes were wide with horror as more blood dripped from his mouth. In his left hand rested his transformation item and a bite wound that had separated it from his arm. His stomach was slit open, his legs were gone, and his chest was empty where his heart should have been.

Shakily, she walked over and collapsed beside him. Mnemosyne looked around at the carnage and broke down. She sobbed until her eyes bled and her throat was hoarse. 

"Why!?" It was forbidden for her to know her own future, but this, this… She should have known if her family was in danger.

She closed Yaten's unseeing eyes with a trembling hand. Hardening her face, she thought, _'I'll will cry no more,'_ and whispered, "May you rest in peace my love." Kissing his forehead she got up, waved her hand and stepped into a portal behind her. _'For I never will.'_

She reappeared in space over the dead moon the Kuroi called a planet/base. At first her slight form went unnoticed. That was their second mistake.

Changing the Time Staff into a bow, she grasped a handful of energy from the Garnet Orb, let it fill with all her anger, pain and suffering, took aim and yelled, "Greek Calends Implosion (4)!" The dark light shot forward, past the Dragon Teeth patrol that was coming to 'deal with her', and imbedded in the planet. A mushroom cloud rose at the equator and was sucked down into the black hole that had formed on the surface. It's horrible gravity began to consume everything on the planet, including the base and it's inhabitants. A hundred thousand Kuroi went screaming to their deaths as the patrol finally caught up to Marle. The leader was just with in range when the effects of the attack began to take hold. Howling it swiped at her head, to miss her nose by a hair's breadth.

She didn't blink.

Instead she watched with a blank face and grim satisfaction as the patrol was dragged down to oblivion.

After it devoured everything on the moon, the black hole dragged down orbital debris, satellites from surrounding planets, the planets themselves, and plasma from the system's star. After an area of a billion kilometers had been purged, the black hole turned on itself, and collapsed after crushing the moon it had formed on. 

The new widow opened a portal back to the Fourth Dimension and left without looking back. Her mission was over and this corner of the Universe had been cleansed of the Kuroi.

She just wished it could have lasted longer.

 1) Kuroi means black or dark person.

2) Mnemosyne, an ancient Greek goddess whose name means memory. She was also the mother of the nine muses.

3) Pluto's attack, the Dead Scream, is meant to be whispered, unlike in the North American version where it is yelled. Mnemosyne yells it in this fic because she is _very _mad.

4) Greek calends is a fancy phrase for time nonexistent.

Well? What do you think? Did you like it or did you hate it? I'm open to all reviews.


	2. First Impressions

Disclaimer: Same as before, we don't own Gundam Wing or Sailor moon. We just like messing around with the characters.  
  
But we DO own the original characters, this plot, the song and the Lunarian language used.  
  
And now, on with the show!  
  
To Find Their Way  
  
Duo sighed. They had all agreed that the stranger should be watched. But why did he have to be the one that got the midnight run? He was bored out of his mind, and besides, she had been in a coma for the past three days (1). She didn't seem to have any really dangerous injuries, no matter what tests or scans they had made. Eventually a blood and tissue sample had been sent off to the Preventers HQ. Maybe she had a file...  
So why did she need around the clock observation when she was practically dead? He yawned and fought his way back to semi-alertness.  
She suddenly regained her color and gasped awake. Well, maybe there was still some life in her. Duo got up and went over to the girl noticing, not for the first time, that she was attractive. Okay, that was an understatement. She was gorgeous with long black hair and classical Far- East features. The only deviance from the norm was her eyes of multiple blue.  
However, that beauty could be a cover up for an assassin or someone equally nasty. He snorted in disdain. 'Gees, just listen to yourself, you're as bad as Heero.' She was calling out for someone. He leaned over her, trying to make out the words.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Jacob..." Sari came to in a dark room. Her dreams had been filled with blood and death, nothing unusual. However, they had been painfully realistic tonight. She sensed rather than saw someone, and looked up to see a dark brown head looming over her, the eyes lost in shadow. Saira sighed with relief.  
"I dreamt that I had lost you." She reached up to kiss him firmly. Duo's eyes went wide with shock. This ... hadn't happened to him before. He liked it though; she was a good kisser.  
Unfortunately the girl was not enjoying it as much as he was. Her eyes went as wide as saucers and she pushed him back with a punch to the center of the chest.  
"Ouch," he said, trying to rub feeling back into his torso as he lay looking up at the ceiling. Hey, was that a cobweb? The Q-man needed a new housekeeper.  
"Iie," he heard her murmur. "Gomen, gomen nasai, (2) Father." He stared blankly for a moment, and then it hit him. "You mean the priest's collar?"  
"Yes, gomen, Father. I, I." At a loss for words she began to cry.  
Now Duo was lost. "Whoa. Hey, now, uh." he stuttered. "Stop crying. Please? I didn't take offense or anything. I'm not even a priest, I just dress like this to remember someone." This didn't help at all, she just cried harder.  
The door opened and two boys walked in. Saira looked at them through blurry vision and saw a scowling Chinese boy and a blond Arabian.  
"What did you do to the prisoner, Maxwell?" The black haired one demanded.  
"I didn't do anything," the no longer nameless brunet jumped. "She was having a nightmare or something, and when she woke up; I guess she mistook me for someone else." The blond walked over to Saira and put a calming hand on her shoulder.  
"What's wrong," he questioned softly.  
"If I'm here, then that means, that means he's dead." She managed between sobs. "If he's dead then that means that, that...Iie!" she broke up hiccupping.  
"It's all right. You don't have to talk about it right now." Quatre soothed. "Why don't I go get you some water?"  
"Ari, *hick* arigato *hick*," she thanked him. Her sobs came less violently, but they were still coming and she failed to stop them. Quatre got up murmured to his companions and left. Saira pulled her knees to her chest in a fetal position and continued to weep.  
"Baka onna, crying like this," dark hair sneered. She looked up, her eyes blazing with blue fire. Without pausing, Saira lashed out with one foot and caught the boy in the kneecap. He crumpled to the floor with a small, strangled sound and glowered up at her.  
"I may be a woman, but I'm not stupid. I'm hurting, OK? I just lost someone so incredibly important to me you'd never comprehend it, so back off!" She hadn't gotten off her cot but her voice made him shrink just a little.  
Ignoring the worm, she turned to Duo. "I didn't catch your name." Tears were still flowing down her face, but she couldn't wait for them to stop.  
"That's Chang Wufei. The nice guy was Quatre Winner, and I'm Duo, Duo Maxwell. You?" She wiped at her eyes but it proved futile.  
"Saira Kumo Yanaiiiii." The last syllable of Jacob's name was drawn out as she started sobbing again at full force. Presently, a glass of cool water was pressed into her hand. She drank slowly, her whole body shaking.  
"Would you like to talk now," Quatre questioned softly. She nodded. He took her hand and sat across from her on the bed, giving her his full attention. What a softy.  
"I guess you could say, I'm in withdrawal," she began softly.  
"Narcotics are the brace of the weak." She shot Wufei a nasty look, and he twitched.  
"Not that kind of withdrawal, Ushiro-atama (3). I lost my husband and *sniff* it's caught up with me. It's been forever since I've gone a day without him..." she trailed off and blew her nose on a handkerchief she kept in her subspace pocket. "I've never felt so alone." It was true. While she had been sobbing uncontrollably, she had tried to contact Marle, and had run up against a cold wall. She was alive, but her silence made it worse than death. She looked up at Quatre and tried to give him a smile. He looked and even acted like The Princess.  
"I'll have to find a way to make it alone though won't I?"  
"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll find something to fill your days. My company always has an opening for employees." So much like The Princess.  
"Arigato. Demo, I think I need to recuperate before I try getting a job." She smiled wickedly, surprising the three in the room. "And that means I need food!  
  
* * * * *  
  
Marle stood silently at the Time Gates, watching the temporal flow with cold eyes. Three days passed by in the real world, but the Fourth Dimension was timeless and solitary. It was the perfect place to form a layer of thick ice around herself. Waving her hand, she switched the scene to watch what Phoenix was doing. She knew Saira had tried to contact her several times through their bond, but she wasn't responding.  
The Solitary Senshi breathed a small sigh. She wouldn't have much of a choice soon. The Kuroi were heading towards the Milky Way Galaxy and every able body was going to be needed for the battle to come. It would be difficult to fight in the chosen time period. The Terrans and their space colonies had only recently finished a rather bloody bout of warfare. Also, the belief in magic had been squashed some centuries before. Everything especially dangerous or wondrous was attributed to machines now. But she had already begun to prepare. With a gesture, she opened a portal and stepped through.  
Exiting, she walked into her lab. Marle had been working here lately, when she wasn't at the Time Gates. Closing her eyes she let the transformation slip. With a blur of energy, she changed back into her 'normal' self. Her civilian form was dressed in black stretch pants and a black tank top. Her knee length chestnut-brown hair was braided and coiled into a bun at the base of her long neck. Walking over to a file cabinet she pulled out some blueprints with her pale hand.  
The blueprints were of the Gundams, their rebuilt forms to be precise. Walking over to a blank wall, she pressed her fingers against a single irregularity on the smooth surface that caused a panel to slide away to reveal a screen. Placing her hand on it while giving it time to scan her DNA, she gave her voice recognition code. Once the computer finished processing her request, Marle stepped through the suddenly appearing door and set the plans on a convenient desk.  
Stopping to look up at the eighty-five percent finished Gundams; Marle said thoughtfully, "Maybe I'll stop by in a few days time."  
  
* * * * *  
  
The five Gundam pilots stared, almost in shock at the girl sitting primly on the kitchen counter. Just an hour ago she had cried herself dry for the third time that week and was now proceeding to consume half of the safe house's pantry in the strangest combinations.  
"How can you eat that?" Duo asked, visibly horrified as Saira stuffed another peanut butter and radish sandwich into her mouth.  
"It's easy." She swallowed and continued all the while digging into a hot fudge sundae topped with sauerkraut. "I just stick it in my mouth, chew, and swallow."  
"Yeah but..."  
"But what? I'm just eating what my body is telling me to eat." 'I'm dining for two now, but they can't find out. It would be too much exposure.' Saira continued to shovel food into her mouth and let a frown crease her forehead. 'Who can I trust here? Jacob's gone, Marle has effectively trapped herself in the Fourth Dimension with her work, Yaten's dead, the kids...' her thoughts trailed off. An unexpected pressure on her shoulder interrupted her gloom. Trowa handed her a handkerchief and she stared at it until she realized she had begun crying again.  
"Arigato." She dabbed at her eyes and finished her ice cream. 'Marle, where are you?'  
Ding-dong.  
Walking to the door, Quatre said, "I'll get it. On the front steps, he found a girl who appeared to be around the same age as Saira. She had long brown hair that had been braided and wrapped snugly around her head in an ancient style, and green blue eyes the temperature of ice. He was slightly startled by the look in them: vengeance.  
"Hello. May I help you with something?" Without mincing words she replied.  
"I'm here to see Saira Kumo Yanai."  
"Umm," he said hoping to stall. "I don't think you have the right house." She should have had the wrong house. No one had been told of Saira's presence here. Not even Sally had been told from who or where the latest lab sample had come from.  
"Unless this is not the residence of Quatre Raberba Winner, who would be you; I sincerely doubt that I have the wrong address." Swallowing Quatre answered, "Yes, I am Quatre Winner, but I don't know anyone who goes by the name Saira Kumo Yanai here. Maybe the next house down would know something about her. Good day, Miss." He started to shut the door when Marle's hand stopped it.  
"Wait! Please." Marle looked at him and felt like rolling her eyes. 'He is a terrible lair. But then again, it is awfully hard to fool a Telepath.' Looking at him with pleading eyes she said, "Saira is my older sister and I've been desperately searching for her ever since the Mari Maia crisis." She buried her head in her hands as she made her shoulder shake with faux sobs. "Plea...se sir, she is the very ... la...st... family... I... ha...ve left. Pl...ea...se tell m...e th...at ... she... is here I look..ed ever...y where...else..." Using all of her acting techniques, she used her Mercury powers to make the wetness on her face real. Quatre wasn't quite sure what to do. She acted enough like Saira, they didn't look related, but he didn't look like all of his sisters.  
"All right, you can come in. I'll go check." Marle was lead gently by the elbow into the anteroom and set down on a cushioned bench still crying her false tears. Watching him leave through her fingers, Marle thought, 'Yep, he's definitely the Kitten's grandson.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Miss Saira?" She looked up from a double heaping of cold pasta salad garnished with grape jelly.  
"Yes, Quatre-san?" Saira watched her words carefully. She had been using English too rarely these days. She always wanted to revert back to Japanese.  
"There's someone here who wants to talk to you." Saira paled a little, her mind churning with possibilities. This could be an enemy come to kill her. It could be someone who had guessed there was more to her than what the Gundam pilots thought. And as long as she was at it, this could be Mickey Mouse. If any one of those fears was true... A hand strayed to her stomach; it was still flat, but would start to grow by next week.  
Those were only a few possibilities. She needed more information.  
"What does this person look like?" The gentle pilot had obviously picked up on her distress.  
"She has long brown hair, blue-green eyes, and says she's your younger sister."  
"Oh. I'd, I'd like it if you guys would accompany me to see her."  
"Why, onna? Aren't you glad to hear from your family," Wufei asked sarcastically. She glared at him and was rewarded with another facial twitch. They were becoming standard, occurring every time he made a 'remark.'  
"Not that it's any of your business, Dragon-butt, demo, I have...enemies." She regained a little of her color. "I'd feel better if I had back up, just in case," she stressed.  
"Fine, weak onna, I'll protect you," mumbled Wufei as he started to walk to the anteroom shortly followed by the rest of the group, receiving a death glare from Saira all the way. Saira opened the door, and all tension left her.  
"Marle!" she cried happily. "It's you, it's you, it's really, really you!" Smiling, the younger woman stood up and opened her arms.  
"Yeah, it's me. It took awhile to get in though."  
"It doesn't matter," the taller said. "You're here and that's all that matters." Saira hugged Marle until they both turned purple because they had cut off each other's circulation.  
"Baka onnas," a sour voice mumbled from the side. "It's demeaning to show such emotion in public."  
'Is it, huh?' "I," Marle said as she walked over to Wufei. "Don't," with lighting quick motion she kneed him in the gut. "Care."  
Saira put her hands behind her head and leaned back a little; acting like the eighteen year old she was supposed to be.  
"Tsk, tsk. Don't kill him, Marle. He just needs to be trained. Besides," she grinned. "Feed a dog for three days... (4)" Looking at Saira out of the corner of her eye without moving her head, she cocked one eyebrow.  
"Oh, really?"  
"Hai, really. Besides, we might need him someday." Shrugging, Marle gave him one last glare.  
"Never, and I mean NEVER call me onna, weak, baka, or anything else, because I swear if you do, you WILL regret it." Tuning on her heel, she calmly walked back to the couch and sat down. Saira followed her with worried eyes.  
'Marle, I can't feel you, and your aura is darkened. Was the pain so horrible needed to shut yourself off from everything?'  
"So, Beautiful," the braided one began. "Your name is..."  
Ding Dong. Walking to the door again, Quatre said, "I'll get it." There was a man behind it. Except this one was definitely older. He was in his mid-thirties and had dark blue hair that topped his head wildly. He also had two young children in tow.  
"I'm here to see Marle Kou and Saira Yanai."  
"I'll go check, Mr...." he was getting tired of this song and dance.  
"I am Serge. That will be all you'll need to tell them." He nodded and left for the anteroom. Saira and Marle were arguing with each other in a language he didn't know, but sounded strangely familiar.  
He cleared his throat and they both stopped in mid sentence. Quatre smiled. At least they could stop arguing, unlike some other people he knew.  
  
"There is a Mr. Serge here to see you."  
"Why would Se-oji (5) come to see us?" asked Saira.  
Bopping Saira on her head and giving her a glare, Marle stood up and said, "Thank you, Mr. Winner, for letting me know." As soon as the kids heard Marle's voice they came bursting through the doorway running straight towards her yelling, "MOMMY!!" in various languages. Five faces either blanked or went into shock when they heard the shrill exclamations.  
"Mommy?" Trowa mimicked one eyebrow raised slightly. "Aren't you a little young to have children of that age?"  
"I'm twenty-five." Marle replied bluntly. Duo face faulted and looked her up and down. "But you only look like you're seventeen!"  
Marle looked at him with bland disinterest. "We keep our age well in my family."  
"And just how old is the other onna," Wufei said with a little less disdain than usual. Saira rolled her eyes.  
"I'm one year older, Dragon-butt. Have a little respect for your seniors."  
"I don't take orders from onnas." At that a little boy with dark brown hair and green eyes, scowled, got up, and kicked the pilot of Shenlong in the shin.  
"Don't talk to Sai-oba (6) like that."  
"Drake Tane Kou! What did your Father tell you about picking fights," Marle started to scold as she strode over to her son and picked him up.  
"Only fight when someone is mean to my sisters, Okaasama (7), or Sai- oba," the little one answered almost smugly.  
Groaning Marle grumbled too softly for the kids to hear, "Yaten, be glad you are already dead. Setting Drake on her hip, she walked over to the couch and said, "Ignore what he said about fighting, what did your aunt tell you?"  
"To dis, disre, disregard!" he struggled through the difficult word making a strange face as his mouth tried to twist around the sound. "Disregard what Toosan (8) said, unless it was about Okaasama." Saira had started backing out of the room but was stopped by Marle's harsh gaze.  
"Remind me to never leave you alone with my children, dear sister." Looking back to her child with patient eyes, Marle said, "Forget what your aunt told you about fighting. What have I told you about fighting?"  
"Not to fight," he mumbled hanging his head. Putting her finger gently under his chin she slowly raised it so she could look in his eyes.  
"Unless?"  
Looking into his mother's blue-green eyes he said, "To not fight unless its self-defense or if given no other choice." Seeing his mother nod gave him a burst of courage and he continued, "If a problem can be solved by words, use words. Don't resort to fighting unless it's the last option. The very last." Wufei was about to say something snide, but Saira elbowed him in the gut. "Don't even think about it," she hissed. She flipped her hair and the light from her ring glanced off the gems in rainbow colors. Duo noticed it with some interest.  
"Wow, where'd you get a rock like that?" Saira blushed faintly, the first time they had seen her do so.  
"It's my wedding ring. And it was my Okaasama's and my Obaasan's (9)." She blinked back tears. It suddenly hurt losing them. "Its been in my family for ... generations." Hope, recognizing her emotional state, ran over to her and hugged her around the knees.  
"Sai-oba, sing your star song."  
"Awe, you know it well enough yourself," she joked.  
"Sing," the girl demanded gently.  
"All right, I need to practice anyway. Let me sit down." Saira sat on a love seat, and laid the tiny silver head against her sternum so she could feel the vibrations of the song. Drake also climbed into her lap so he could hear better.  
  
Le tou  
Ren, nah da si  
Le tou  
Lun, mah si  
Ser ty haalu,  
  
Her voice was low and soft as the black haired woman created the harmonies of a song she knew so well.  
  
Giez frro ue beyl  
Mey, cal Se klee  
Trel'an, ulb'an  
Mien tun flal  
Yal, miea Urus  
  
Saira finished her song, pleased to see her niece and nephew half asleep. Silently, Quatre and Trowa were selected to take them to a spare room for their afternoon nap. The children were hoisted up onto shoulders and balanced on hips with a few small mishaps, but it was nothing a story couldn't calm down. After following the blond through the twisting halls, they were put down to listen as Marle told them a long involved tale.  
After seeing her last children fall asleep, Marle tucked the blankets around them saying, "And the final battle between the forces of good and evil came, and the children of the light kicked the bad-guys butts. Every one lived happily ever after. The end." Kissing each of their foreheads she whispered, "Goodnight, my precious ones." Hope murmured something before turning over, and there was the faintest trace of shock in her mother's eyes.  
"What did she say, Mar," Saira questioned casually. "I'll tell you later."  
  
1) Saira's status as Sailor Phoenix allows her to heal almost any wound, but it can take up to three days in accordance with lunar cycles.  
  
2) Gomen, gomen nasai- Sorry, very sorry.  
  
3) Ushiro-atama roughly translates to butt-head.  
  
4) The complete phrase is: Feed a dog for three days and you get attached to it.  
  
5) –oji is a suffix for Uncle.  
  
6) -oba is a suffix for Aunt.  
  
7) Okaasama is a respectful term for Mother.  
  
8) Toosan roughly means Daddy.  
  
9) Obaasan is a respectful term for Grandmother  
  
Romanticized translation for the song in this chapter  
  
See the Stars  
  
Who circle us above.  
  
See the Stars  
  
Who circle the Moon,  
  
The Pearl. Our Lady  
  
Rests upon a silver  
  
Throne, Her eyes are  
  
Cast to Earth, to the  
  
Blue crystal where the  
  
Wind lives free.  
  
Like it? Hate it? Have questions? Review and let me know! Please! Justify my existence!  
  
Ja ne! 


	3. Letting Go

Standard disclaimer: The only things we own are Marle, Saira, Jacob, the kids, and the song in this chapter. Everything else belongs to Takeuchi-sama and some insignificant film companies.

To Find Their Way

Chapter 3 

"Why don't we get down to business, Mar?" Saira said as she settled on a couch in the entertainment room. "We have about an hour to tell these boys why we're here."

Nodding, Marle sat on the arm of the couch saying, "True, but we need only tell them part of our mission, for now at least." She reached into a small hip pouch, which she used as a cover up for pulling her data computer out of her sub-space pocket, and stated, "They wouldn't be able to handle the whole thing right now."

"Are you implying something?" the self-righteous Chang growled.

"Yup," replied Saira. "There are more things in heaven and in earth, Horatio, than are dreamed of in your philosophies (1)."

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

"Just keep an open mind, Dragon-butt. It'll make things easier on your poor brain."

"What do you take me for, onna? The braided baka?" They continued to throw insults at each other until catching Marle's cold glare. They both twitched…

Glaring still, Marle said firmly, "If you two are done acting like toddlers, we can continue discussing the mission, if not, then I will be going for a walk until you two care to act your ages." Standing up, she started for the door.

"All right, all right. Cool your jets, Mar. We can behave, can't we, Wu-chan," she said with the slightest bit of mockery in her voice. Wufei was indignant, but he chose to hold his tongue in favor of finding out how to get rid of the two women.

Marle leaned against the doorframe, facing away from the group so they could not see the pain that she had been pushing back since Saira and Wufei starting arguing. Closing her eyes, she tried to compose herself. It was hard.

They may not have noticed, but those two were acting a lot like she and Yaten had during the first part of their life together. Watching those two brought back all of those memories. Memories that always ended the same way, her gazing down at Yaten's dead body. She wouldn't be able to keep her composure if she stayed here. She needed time, preferably alone.

She began to speak as evenly she could, but was unable control the slight tremor in her voice.

"You can explain the mission to them, Saira. I... I need to take a walk, to clear my head." With that she walked out of the house without glancing back.

Saira looked at the retreating form of her sister. And that was exactly what she was doing. Little by little, she was retreating from life.

"Marle..." Behind her, Wufei made one of his little comments. On it's own, it would have made no difference. But right now, she just wasn't going to put up with it. Marching up to him, her eyes spitting blue fire, she slapped him squarely across the face.

"Listen up, and listen good, because I'm only warning you once. Don't mess with my family. Now, if you can keep your smart-ass mouth shut, I'll tell you why we're here. Got that you chauvinistic, little rat-boy?" _Twitch…_

His black eyes were burning almost as bright as hers and Saira vowed to silence his pride, even if she had to use her own two lips to do it. _'Well, that certainly _would_ shut him up,'_ she thought to herself. 

She saw Duo following Marle and filed it in the back of her mind for later use. Preferably blackmail.

"We are here," she began, "because we need the help of the Gundam pilots. This may sound a little strange, but if you need it, I can prove every word. As you all know, I recently lost my husband," Saira stopped for a moment to blink back a stray tear.

"What you don't know is that he was murdered protecting our nieces and nephews from losing their own lives." She bit her lip and forced the mental image of broken bodies away from her thoughts. "He was a crack shot, could have run circles around Alexander the Great, and was not bad at hand to hand combat either. There was only one problem. Jacob was a normal human, and he was killed by things that weren't even close to human."

That had peeked their interest.

"What exactly do you mean by the phrase, normal human," Heero asked emotionlessly.

"By normal human I mean that he was exactly that. Twenty-four chromosomes, two arms and legs, two eyes and ears, all in the right places mind you. However, by being a normal human, he did not possess extra physical or mental abilities."

"What do you mean by physical or mental abilities?" Quatre seemed to be catching on to this without even realizing it. She sighed and debated telling them.

_'Oh, what the heck, it's close to the truth.'_

"I'm what you might call a New Type, I have extra strength, speed, and stamina. I also have a psychic ability, like yours Quatre-san, but more refined."

They stared for a moment. As Gundam Pilots, they were some of the few outside regular military who knew of the New Type experiments. And there weren't many inside the armies of earth that knew. Made of the recombinant DNA of several 'gifted' individuals, (whether animal genes were used was known only to the scientists) these lab-grown soldiers were highly controversial. The real question on their minds was how one, possibly a whole group, could have escaped confinement. Thankfully though, they didn't ask.

"And what do you mean by refined?" Poor boy. He was going to have a rude awakening, but not today. Saira would string out these secrets a little more.

"You can feel the pain of another. I can do the same, but it's stronger. I can feel their emotions as well. Under proper conditions, I can contact others across vast distances." She continued, a little uncomfortable. "That was how I knew Jacob was dead, and why I was so distraught." 

"That sort of thing could be useful on a battlefield," Heero murmured.

"Yes it is. Quite painful too." 

* * * * *

As soon as the house was out of sight, Marle collapsed to her knees, and dropping her head in her hands, she refused to cry.

_'Why can't this pain just leave me alone? It hurts... it hurts so much and it will never stop.'_ As she sat there unwelcome, bittersweet, and torturous memories came flooding back.

~~~

"HOW THE **** DID WE TIME WARP TO ANCIENT JAPAN!" Not ready for Saira's mental yell, Marle cried out in pain and fell to the ground. Putting her hands out to brace herself for impact, she felt someone's arms catch her. Looking up she saw the most beautiful emerald eyes in the world. 

The young man connected to afore mentioned beautiful eyes asked, "Are you alright." 

"Yes, I am. Thank you for catching me." She was cold as ever, but she was thinking, **_'Who wouldn't be ok after landing in a gorgeous guy's arms?_**_ MARLE NADIA TOKI, SNAP OUT OF IT YOU NEED TO FIND A WAY HOME!** But with a guy this gorgeous who would want to go home? **You've been hanging around Saira too long.' _"But just who are you?"

Eyes widening in surprise, Yaten asked, "You really don't know who I am?" 

Playing dumb, Marle says, "No, I don't."

"We've been in America for a while," Saira said stepping in. "For several years in fact."

"Oh," said Yaten, thinking, _'I was pretty sure even people in the U.S.A. knew who we were, oh, well. I guess I'll have to speak to our Public Relations guy.'_ Keeping eye contact with the pretty girl, Yaten said, "My name is Kou Yaten. I'm one of the three Lights." After waiting a couple seconds Yaten added, "Who are you?" 

"My name is Toki Marle. It's nice to meet you, Yaten. And once again, thanks for helping me." Marle said as she held out her hand and she returned Yaten's gaze.

Taking her hand, Yaten shook it gently. "Your welcome, Marle. Perhaps we will see each other around, one day."

Returning her hand to her side Marle said with a calm, relaxed voice, "Perhaps... Good night, Yaten."

~*~

A very familiar voice came over the loud speaker and he was saying her name.

"This next song was written for and is dedicated to Toki Marle," Yaten said. Instantly the crowd started to buzz.

_'I am going to kill him for this, I really am,'_ she thought. But, something else put words of it's own. **_'But it's so sweet of him to go to the trouble of writing a song. _**_But never the less he is still a dead boy when I get my hands on him,'_ Marle thought as she glared at Yaten, showing no emotion.

The keyboardist started first, creating a slow, bittersweet melody. A guitar and other instruments then joined it. When it finally came time for the words, Yaten sung alone hesitantly at first, Marle's stare was having the desired effect. 

No one,

Ever managed,

To find their way into my heart.

But somehow,

You knew which road to take.

And now... 

I'm so sorry,

That I ever hurt you.

And I know,

My words don't always come out right.

Please, don't go.

I don't know,

What I'd do without you in my life.

I want you there,

In my darkest hours.

'Cause you give me strength,

When I can't go on.

Please.

I'm saying this tonight.

I'm so sorry,

That I ever hurt you.

And I know,

My words don't always come out right.

Please, don't go. 

I don't know,

What I'd do without you in my life.

I'm so sorry,

That I ever hurt you.

And I know,

My words don't always come out right.

Please, don't go.

I don't know,

What I'd do without you in my life. 

Please.

Will you forgive me? 

Everyone turned theirs eyes to Marle. On the outside, no one could tell what see was feeling, but on the inside she was a mess. The others in the room looked from Marle to Yaten, and back to Marle. Though Marle's face was unemotional, something flashed through her eyes.

_'I can't forgive him. He will only hurt me, but why do I feel only half alive with out him?'_

_'What was that?'_ Seiya thought. '_Come on Marle! Give Yaten a second chance.' _From across the stage, Taiki was having his own thoughts as he looked at his brother's face.

_'Come on Marle,'_ Saira thought with an edge of desperation. She was so tempted to go inside her head and find out what she was thinking, but if she did, it would only cause trouble. _'You're too good at hiding emotions,'_ she continued. _'You've managed to hide them from yourself.'_

Closing her eyes Marle pondered the situation, _'Why won't the thought of him leave my mind?'_

Nodding his head sadly Yaten began to turn.

"Alright," he said. "If that's how it's going to..." he didn't get to finish that sentence. A hand latched onto his and whirled him around. Yaten did get to finish his sentence as Marle opened her eyes and let her emotions, and a few tears, cross her face. As Yaten opened his mouth Marle silenced him with a kiss.

~*~

"YATEN! I'm going to kill you," screamed Marle as she clenched her teeth as another contraction hit her.

Holding his wife's hand in his own, Yaten swallowed nervously and asked Saira, "Should I be hiding?" 

"Don't take it personally, it's just the pain talking." 

"I thought so, but you know how long Mar can hold her temper...." Yaten replied as he closed his eyes, concentrating on sending soothing energy to his love. 

Several hours and numerous death threats later found Marle holding her first-born, her son, _their _son. Smiling as she looked down at the little bundle she asked, "Isn't he just so beautiful?"

"Yeah, he is." Yaten replied with a little aw.

Looking at her husband Marle said, "Oh, yeah. By the way..."

"Yes?"

Smirking, she finished her sentence, "I'm still going to kill you." 

~*~

After seeing her children safely through the portal she looked around and froze when she saw her husband's dead body.

He was lying on his back not so far from where the children had been. A pool of his own blood was gathering around him.

~~~

Feeling a hand on her shoulder Marle snapped her eyes open and glared at the one who dared to invade her reverie. 

Seeing the unshed tears in her blue-green eyes, Duo asked, "Do you want to talk?"

Looking away Marle said, "No." He settled down beside her and looked off into the distance.

"There's no shame in crying," he said after awhile. 

"Leave me alone," Marle replied icily.

"No, I don't think you should be alone." 

Marle closed her eyes and mumbled, "You wouldn't understand. Go away." 

"You're not the first person to lose someone important to you," he replied, a little angry.

"I know that, Duo!" Marle snapped, her eyes flashing as she shouted at him, "But you don't understand what its like to have half of your soul ripped away from you, permanently." Standing up Marle continued, "You may understand the pain of loss, but you don't understand MY pain." 

"I know that! I didn't say that I understood _your_ pain. All I said was I know what it's like. Gees," he turned slightly grumbling. "You're too stubborn." Neither she nor Saira had said anything, but he had seen the bejeweled gold band on her left ring finger. And why else would she act like this? 

Marle stood there for a moment, watching the braided baka kick at the ground. Just why was she doing this to herself? She was made of tougher stuff. And after all, Yaten wouldn't want her to live in pain for the rest of her life. He would have wanted her to be happy.

Closing her eyes Marle thought, _'Why do I have the feeling you had some small hand in Duo following me, huh, Yaten? I know you're watching and can hear my thoughts so hear this. Thank you my love, for watching over me even in death, and yes, you got your message across. Goodbye, Yaten.'_

Smiling she mumbled, "Thanks, Duo."

* * * * *

Saira looked at the clock on the wall and counted down the seconds. "Five, four, three, two..."

"Haha!(1) I'm hungry," bewailed one little voice.

"Sai-oba! Drake is pinching me!" Two pairs of feet came pounding down the corridor with unnerving familiarity. The duo appeared with Hope in the lead.

"Hope kicked me!" Saira steeled herself against the madness of dealing with Marle's brood on her own.

"How did they find their way here," Quatre asked. "They were asleep when we took them to the guest room."

"ESP runs in the family," Saira said going over to separate the two. 

"I would assume attitude does as well," Wufei muttered as the boy took a swing at Hope, who in turn swept his feet out from under him.

"They're just ornery after their... All right!" she shouted after a tiny hand pulled on her hair a little too hard. They stopped their casual beatings. "Every one, outside. Give me five laps around the house. Move!" They grumbled, but obeyed knowing the kinds of punishment their Mother would deal out if they didn't respect their Aunt's rule. 

The Gundam boys looked at her with expressions ranging from amusement to puzzlement, if they had expressions at all.

"The point is to make them tired enough to take another nap. Now, which way is the kitchen from here?" They looked at her again with an incredulous expression on each face. "I haven't eaten in two hours, and I have to make up for that week I spent unconscious. Now, where's the food?" Wufei risked his health by asking a question. 

"Aren't you going to supervise them?" Saira merely scowled over her shoulder. Another twitch.

"They know how to run laps, and they know they can't lie to a me."

* * * * *

Sensing the grumbling minds of her children, Marle grinned as she thought, '_Saira must have made them run laps again.' _Keeping her eyes closed, she reached out through their bond and sent a knocking noise into Saira's mind while asking, '_Hello?  Anyone home?'_ She felt Saira jump, and nearly laughed.

_'Very funny, Mar,'_ her sister ground out. _'Why don't you come back here and take care of your own demon-spawn?'_

Marle knew better than to argue over her tone. Saira just got mad when taken by surprise. She had learned that when they fought together in their first lives, and it still left her in stitches whenever she managed to surprise her. 

 She mentally stuck her tongue out at her and thought, _'Fine, grump, I'll be there in a couple minutes, and don't call my children demon-spawn or I'll have to hurt you, _sis_.'_

 _'Fine,'_ the elder stuck out her tongue as well. _'Don't call me grump. And if you want to get technical, then don't call me sis. After all, we're not blood related.' _

Mentally rolling her eyes, Marle cut the contact and looked at Dou saying, "You can go now." 

For just a second, she could have sworn he blushed. But the moment was over with his shrug. After brushing herself off she leaned forward and kissed Dou on the cheek while whispering in his ear, "Thank you, again, Dou."  With that she turned on her heel and walked towards the house.

_'That's it, mess with my head,'_ Duo thought as he watched the slight, retreating, form. She was already...distracting. He didn't need this. He didn't need someone to make a fool of him. _'Yeah, you can do that on your own,'_ the mean little voice in the back of his mind reminded him. 

"Oh, shut up," he mumbled, exasperated as he began the trek back to Quatre's mansion.

1) Shakespeare's Hamlet

2) Haha is another term for mother, or mommy.

Well? What do you think? Please review. I love all reviews, even the ones that say I can't write worth a darn. I just like the thought of real people reading my stuff.

I would like to thank my two muses, co-authors, and editors: Matt (the Evil Mecha Engineer) and Princess Healer. I send my thanks to our Beta-reader, Mike (who doesn't even watch Sailor Moon, but was still kind enough to do this).

I would also like to thank all those who review. You guys make this an even better experience.


	4. Evil at Home (The Humor Chapter)

            Okay; Standard Disclaimer: We don't own any Gundam series, nor we claim tenure over Sailor Moon…just over Sailor Mnemosyne and Sailor Phoenix…and their children…and the plot…and…

**On with the show!**

To Find Their Way Chapter 4 

"Sai-oba, how can you eat that stuff?" Saira gave Drake half a glare.

"This coming from the boy who ate only sushi for the better part of a year." He crossed his arms huffily as his sister came to his defense.

"He has a point, Oba. Your food is, well, weirder than usual." 

"What's weird about it?"

"I think they're referring to the fact the your eating apricot jam on pickles, onna."

"Thank you for pointing that out, Einstein," Saira jabbed at Wufei with her fork. Quietly slipping into the room Marle leaned against the doorframe, observing.

"It's because of your extra heartbeat," Hope said nibbling on an apple. 

Five glares were trained on her. Swiftly walking into the kitchen, Marle picked Hope up and started to back up when she bumped into Dou. 

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Why didn't you just tell us you were pregnant, onna," Chang mumbled. "Then we wouldn't have thought you were insane." 

Grabbing Dou by the arm with one hand she nodded her head in one direction and then dragged him out of the room with her children following. 

Looking at Marle, Dou asked, " Is she really pr...."

Marle covered his mouth with her hand as she said, "Shh." However, Saira heard it.

"Yes, I really am!" She said angrily. The woman was in a dangerous mood. "Hope, no offense, but I had hoped to keep this under wraps a little bit longer before the whole world starts treating me like a china doll." Her outburst done, she rested her head atop her folded arms on the table. Eating was out of the question now. Hope walked over to her and tugged on a sleeve. "What is it, P-chan (1)?" 

"When is our cousin coming?" 

She couldn't resist smiling. "In a bit over five months, little Hime (2). Five months..." 

Sighing Marle let her hand drop, "Well, if you don't mind me, I'm going to get some supplies so we can leave. Ja."

Marle started to walk away but her children thought better of it as Hope grabbed her legs while Drake gave her a push. The end result being that she fell right into Dou's arms.

They blushed slightly, Duo a little more than Marle. Both, however, were equally aware of just how close their faces were. Quatre looked away, Trowa looked at Saira as she nearly dove into the pantry in search of chocolate, and the other two pilots didn't seem to care. 

"Umm. Thanks." Marle started to push herself out of the embrace when the kids decided to push their mother a little closer. Falling forward Marle's lips caught Dou's. They almost had time to enjoy it. Almost. Her children began climbing all over the two with questions such as, "When are you getting married?" "Did you kiss before?" "Can I play with your braid, Dou-toosan (1)?" Dou's eyes went wide enough that a casual observer could see the cortical nerve.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! That, that wasn't a kiss," he stammered. "That was an accident." The children began crying.

"You mean you don't like us?"

"You don't like Okaasan?" 

"I didn't say that. I, I, I just..." The two little Kou's gathered around his legs.

"Then does that mean you're staying with us?" 

"Do you promise not to leave us?" The youngest one asked. Sighing Marle sat down on the floor.

"Children," she said. "Come here." 

As they gathered around her Marle said, "I know you miss having a father around, and I know Dou reminds you a lot of him, but that doesn't mean I will marry him after knowing him only a few hours."

Cocking her head to the side Hope asked, "But why not?  He's a nice guy and we like him."

"It just the way things are," Marle answered pulling her into her lap. "Just because you like someone doesn't mean you love them in that kind of way, munchkin."   

"Love them in what kind of way?" She looked down at her daughter.

"They call it romantic love. Just like they call my love for you parental love. But it's very different. Romantic love is something that grows, while I loved you all the second I knew you were coming." They digested that for a moment, and then looked up from their musing.

"How long does it take to grow," Drake asked. Marle shrugged.

"Don't know. It can take days, weeks, months, or even years." Looking sternly at her children she said, "And don't even think about playing match-maker, I get enough of that from your Aunt. I don't need my children to help her any." She shot her sister a glare, and Saira put up her hands with an innocent look on her face. _'Innocent, something I don't think she's ever been,'_ she thought to herself. _'Especially when she has a 'project' in mind.'___

Saira looked at her sister and said smugly, "It's none of my business." Before Marle could respond, Saira grabbed Wufei.

"Come on, Dragon-butt. You're taking these kids for ice cream." He scowled at her.

"Then why are you coming?" He would not act pleased at the warmth of her delicate hand in his, he would not _be_ pleased.

"Because you need someone who can handle them."

"By suggesting I can't control these children you are…"

"Absolutely right." 

Hope ran up crying, "I wanna sit up front! And I wanna get chocolate and strawberries on my ice cream!"

"Nuh uh! I get chocolate," came an indignant holler.

"You can both get chocolate," Marle chided them. "And you are all walking so no one sits up front, and neither of you are to con the adults into a piggy-back ride." The younglings didn't even bother bemoaning their fate.

As Saira and the children dragged Wufei out of the house Marle sighed and stood up saying, "Poor Wufei, he has no idea what he just got dragged into."

Looking at Marle curiously, Dou asked, "They're just kids, they can't do anything, except annoy him."

Chuckling, she replied, "Dou, Dou, Dou, you don't know my children very well do you? Do you remember what just happened a couple minutes ago?" Taking his slightly flushed face as an affirmative and Marle continued. "That simply happened because my children were playing matchmaker." Marle chuckled as she shook her head to clear it of the schemes that her children were going to play on the unaware pilots. "When they want to play tricks or pranks they usually manage to pull them off, one way or another."

"I thought that's why Saira said she was going with them." Quatre spoke up.

Shaking her head, the Time Guardian answered, "When they want to pull something off, the only one that can stop them is me, Saira just doesn't know that yet, simply because they are waiting to pull the perfect prank on her."

"The perfect prank?" Heero asked, not even looking up from his laptop.

"Yeah, not even I know what it'll be." She chuckled slightly. "And I don't want to know."

"They can't be that bad," Quatre said.

"Ooohh, yes they can." 

"I agree with the Q-man," Duo said. "A few little kids can't be that bad."

Looking straight at Dou Marle asked, "Dou, do you like to play pranks?"

With no small amount of pride he grinned and replied, "Of course, who doesn't like a good prank?" He looked over at Heero and Trowa, and then he remembered about Wufei, and how Quatre thought practical jokes were mean... "Well, normal people anyway."

Slightly smirking, Marle replied, "Well, here's an example. Take one Duo Maxwell, minus his Gundam training, add one hundred points to his IQ, multiply his love of comedy by 20, change his height and coloring, then spilt him in two parts and you have my kids."  
  


* * * * *

A child no taller than his mid-thigh was dragging Chang Wufei along with enough force to pull his arm from its socket. Needless to say, he was not happy about it.

"I want to go to the toy store," cried the little brunet.

"Why don't we wait for the shopping until after the food, Drake?" Saira commented. The pilot silently thanked whoever was listening for the account Quatre had set up for the group. He had the feeling he was going to need it.

"How much are you going to eat today Sai-oba?" exclaimed the boy with green eyes.

"Drake Tane Kou, that is not a polite thing to ask."

"But I want to know." Saira rolled her eyes.

"Don't ask impolite questions if you want polite answers."

"Your aunt is correct," mumbled the Chinese pilot. "It's not the place of the young to ask such things of their elders."

"Why not?" Hope asked, her eyes sparkling.

"It's not proper."

"Why not?"

"Because young children don't have enough sense to…"

Hope glared and waited for Wufei to say something else. He almost twitched.

"Why not?" 

"Because you need more life experience."

"Why?"

"Because that's the way things are."

"Why?" Wufei was slightly perturbed.

"Because."

"Why?" _Twitch._

"I'm not having this conversation." With great purpose he shook off the set of little hands trying to reach his wallet and strode a few feet before the other three. Suddenly, Hope ran in front of Wufei and with a glint in her eyes asked, "Where do babies come from?"

He blinked, twice. "You'll...find out when you're older."

"How old?"

"Old enough to have children of your own."

"How old is that?"

"I'm sure your mother will tell you."

Glaring at Wufei, Hope stamped one foot demanding, "I'm old enough to understand now. Where do babies come from?" While he was still flustered, Hope ran behind the dark boy and gave him an almighty push.

Drake ran behind Saira and helped Hope push the pair into position.

"What the hel…" Saira barely managed to call out. Wufei wasn't much better off.

With a last push, Saira and Wufei's lips came together in a kiss. A second later camera clicks could be heard before being replaced by running feet; the children had already put the cameras in their space pockets. Startled out of her slight reverie, Saira groaned in frustration.

"Why did Jac give them cameras?" She turned to Wufei, and saw his face set in perma-scowl mode. She started laughing. "Come on, we need to catch up to them," she said grabbing his hand.

1) P-Chan-If you watch Ranma ½, you'll get the joke. If not, why aren't you watching Ranma!?

2) Hime translates to princess.

**Added bonus for those of you who are still reading!**

Matt the Evil Mecha Engineer's secret weapon plans!

Hehe: my ideas are finally going to see the light of day!  You probably guessed, but I'll tell you anyways. I'm not the author; I'm her consultant and one of the editors.

And now; THE GUNS!

No. 1 is the charged particle rifle, Duo gets this one, and it'll be explained properly in later chapters.  You know how things that move really fast hurt a lot? Hehehe, near-light speed muzzle velocities, hehehehehehehehehehehe………

No. 2 is the Nova buster, this is Saira's, and she'll be really surprised when she uses it the first time…………

No. 3 is the Collimated plasma rifle, review and tell us who gets to play with this, even we'll be surprised about this one….

No.  4 this one's really cool, and you don't get to find out about it until later. It is a man-portable gun though; I'll let you think on this one.  

Two last things: 1) Watch the rest of the Gundam series (Gundam X, Stardust Memories, etc.); I know they haven't been on TV, and might be hard to find, but they're worth it. 2) Duo's the coolest one! 

(You can really tell that wasn't me now can't you minna-san?)-Phoenix. 

Ja from all of us!


End file.
